Streets paved with gold in alleged roadworks corruption

The Advertiser

4 days ago

Cash, cryptocurrency and even gold nuggets are among the alleged spoils of a long-running scheme to rig and inflate contracts for roadworks.
A former department officer is believed to be in hiding, after a failed attempt to leave Australia on a US passport.
The alleged rigging and inflation of contracts by Transport for NSW procurement officer Ibrahim Helmy between 2012 and 2024 has come under the microscope of the state's Independent Commission Against Corruption.
A senior barrister assisting the commission's inquiry notes it is only the agency's latest corruption cloud.
"This is the fourth public inquiry into corruption in procurement processes at Transport for NSW since 2019," Rob Ranken SC said on Monday.
Past inquiries found department officials had manipulated procurements and contracts for corrupt benefits and the current inquiry is expected to reveal similar conduct, Mr Ranken said.
Helmy is suspected to have received more than $11.5 million from the alleged scheme, which involved contracts worth more than $343 million.
Cash stuffed in envelopes, cryptocurrency transfers Helmy allegedly coached people through and nuggets of gold bullion were among payments, Mr Ranken told the inquiry.
Helmy has been wanted since May after failing to appear before the NSW Crime Commission.
The commission held his Australian passport when Helmy was detected at Sydney Airport awaiting a flight to China in September 2024.
Computers and storage devices were seized along with a US passport, before Helmy was released on conditions.
But he failed to return from putting the bins out one Sunday night according to his family, who have not reported him missing, Mr Ranken said.
Helmy is believed to still be in NSW and to have received assistance to avoid apprehension.
"We suspect it is only a matter of time before he is located and we urge him to come forward of his own volition," Mr Ranken said.
The inquiry is expected to hear from managers and directors of companies Helmy allegedly helped receive lucrative government work.
A number of other transport officials are also subject to the inquiry, with hopes it can make recommendations to improve the department's policies and processes.
The investigation led to raids on the head office of Protection Barriers, one of the state's biggest roadworks companies, in September.
The business secured significant deals worth more than $110 million from Transport for NSW for road safety work.
Luxury cars were seized from the company's headquarters in northern NSW, before the firm fell into voluntary administration in March.
Company founder Jason Chellew told the inquiry Helmy had proposed inflating contracts and splitting the increase.
"We were worried that if we said no, we would have got no work," Mr Chellew said.
The inquiry also expects to hear from Peco and Saso Jankulovski, directors of Complete Linemarking Services, later in the week.
Cash, cryptocurrency and even gold nuggets are among the alleged spoils of a long-running scheme to rig and inflate contracts for roadworks.
A former department officer is believed to be in hiding, after a failed attempt to leave Australia on a US passport.
The alleged rigging and inflation of contracts by Transport for NSW procurement officer Ibrahim Helmy between 2012 and 2024 has come under the microscope of the state's Independent Commission Against Corruption.
A senior barrister assisting the commission's inquiry notes it is only the agency's latest corruption cloud.
"This is the fourth public inquiry into corruption in procurement processes at Transport for NSW since 2019," Rob Ranken SC said on Monday.
Past inquiries found department officials had manipulated procurements and contracts for corrupt benefits and the current inquiry is expected to reveal similar conduct, Mr Ranken said.
Helmy is suspected to have received more than $11.5 million from the alleged scheme, which involved contracts worth more than $343 million.
Cash stuffed in envelopes, cryptocurrency transfers Helmy allegedly coached people through and nuggets of gold bullion were among payments, Mr Ranken told the inquiry.
Helmy has been wanted since May after failing to appear before the NSW Crime Commission.
The commission held his Australian passport when Helmy was detected at Sydney Airport awaiting a flight to China in September 2024.
Computers and storage devices were seized along with a US passport, before Helmy was released on conditions.
But he failed to return from putting the bins out one Sunday night according to his family, who have not reported him missing, Mr Ranken said.
Helmy is believed to still be in NSW and to have received assistance to avoid apprehension.
"We suspect it is only a matter of time before he is located and we urge him to come forward of his own volition," Mr Ranken said.
The inquiry is expected to hear from managers and directors of companies Helmy allegedly helped receive lucrative government work.
A number of other transport officials are also subject to the inquiry, with hopes it can make recommendations to improve the department's policies and processes.
The investigation led to raids on the head office of Protection Barriers, one of the state's biggest roadworks companies, in September.
The business secured significant deals worth more than $110 million from Transport for NSW for road safety work.
Luxury cars were seized from the company's headquarters in northern NSW, before the firm fell into voluntary administration in March.
Company founder Jason Chellew told the inquiry Helmy had proposed inflating contracts and splitting the increase.
"We were worried that if we said no, we would have got no work," Mr Chellew said.
The inquiry also expects to hear from Peco and Saso Jankulovski, directors of Complete Linemarking Services, later in the week.
Cash, cryptocurrency and even gold nuggets are among the alleged spoils of a long-running scheme to rig and inflate contracts for roadworks.
A former department officer is believed to be in hiding, after a failed attempt to leave Australia on a US passport.
The alleged rigging and inflation of contracts by Transport for NSW procurement officer Ibrahim Helmy between 2012 and 2024 has come under the microscope of the state's Independent Commission Against Corruption.
A senior barrister assisting the commission's inquiry notes it is only the agency's latest corruption cloud.
"This is the fourth public inquiry into corruption in procurement processes at Transport for NSW since 2019," Rob Ranken SC said on Monday.
Past inquiries found department officials had manipulated procurements and contracts for corrupt benefits and the current inquiry is expected to reveal similar conduct, Mr Ranken said.
Helmy is suspected to have received more than $11.5 million from the alleged scheme, which involved contracts worth more than $343 million.
Cash stuffed in envelopes, cryptocurrency transfers Helmy allegedly coached people through and nuggets of gold bullion were among payments, Mr Ranken told the inquiry.
Helmy has been wanted since May after failing to appear before the NSW Crime Commission.
The commission held his Australian passport when Helmy was detected at Sydney Airport awaiting a flight to China in September 2024.
Computers and storage devices were seized along with a US passport, before Helmy was released on conditions.
But he failed to return from putting the bins out one Sunday night according to his family, who have not reported him missing, Mr Ranken said.
Helmy is believed to still be in NSW and to have received assistance to avoid apprehension.
"We suspect it is only a matter of time before he is located and we urge him to come forward of his own volition," Mr Ranken said.
The inquiry is expected to hear from managers and directors of companies Helmy allegedly helped receive lucrative government work.
A number of other transport officials are also subject to the inquiry, with hopes it can make recommendations to improve the department's policies and processes.
The investigation led to raids on the head office of Protection Barriers, one of the state's biggest roadworks companies, in September.
The business secured significant deals worth more than $110 million from Transport for NSW for road safety work.
Luxury cars were seized from the company's headquarters in northern NSW, before the firm fell into voluntary administration in March.
Company founder Jason Chellew told the inquiry Helmy had proposed inflating contracts and splitting the increase.
"We were worried that if we said no, we would have got no work," Mr Chellew said.
The inquiry also expects to hear from Peco and Saso Jankulovski, directors of Complete Linemarking Services, later in the week.
Cash, cryptocurrency and even gold nuggets are among the alleged spoils of a long-running scheme to rig and inflate contracts for roadworks.
A former department officer is believed to be in hiding, after a failed attempt to leave Australia on a US passport.
The alleged rigging and inflation of contracts by Transport for NSW procurement officer Ibrahim Helmy between 2012 and 2024 has come under the microscope of the state's Independent Commission Against Corruption.
A senior barrister assisting the commission's inquiry notes it is only the agency's latest corruption cloud.
"This is the fourth public inquiry into corruption in procurement processes at Transport for NSW since 2019," Rob Ranken SC said on Monday.
Past inquiries found department officials had manipulated procurements and contracts for corrupt benefits and the current inquiry is expected to reveal similar conduct, Mr Ranken said.
Helmy is suspected to have received more than $11.5 million from the alleged scheme, which involved contracts worth more than $343 million.
Cash stuffed in envelopes, cryptocurrency transfers Helmy allegedly coached people through and nuggets of gold bullion were among payments, Mr Ranken told the inquiry.
Helmy has been wanted since May after failing to appear before the NSW Crime Commission.
The commission held his Australian passport when Helmy was detected at Sydney Airport awaiting a flight to China in September 2024.
Computers and storage devices were seized along with a US passport, before Helmy was released on conditions.
But he failed to return from putting the bins out one Sunday night according to his family, who have not reported him missing, Mr Ranken said.
Helmy is believed to still be in NSW and to have received assistance to avoid apprehension.
"We suspect it is only a matter of time before he is located and we urge him to come forward of his own volition," Mr Ranken said.
The inquiry is expected to hear from managers and directors of companies Helmy allegedly helped receive lucrative government work.
A number of other transport officials are also subject to the inquiry, with hopes it can make recommendations to improve the department's policies and processes.
The investigation led to raids on the head office of Protection Barriers, one of the state's biggest roadworks companies, in September.
The business secured significant deals worth more than $110 million from Transport for NSW for road safety work.
Luxury cars were seized from the company's headquarters in northern NSW, before the firm fell into voluntary administration in March.
Company founder Jason Chellew told the inquiry Helmy had proposed inflating contracts and splitting the increase.
"We were worried that if we said no, we would have got no work," Mr Chellew said.
The inquiry also expects to hear from Peco and Saso Jankulovski, directors of Complete Linemarking Services, later in the week.